Instructions, videos & downloads

Creative tips

If you are stuck for ideas, inspiration is at hand with our imaginative, easy to follow project sheets. Turn your creative ideas into reality with the FIMO range of craft products from STAEDTLER. With 'FIMO creative tips' you can search for your favourite creative tip based on material, theme and level of difficulty. Whether you're looking for trendy jewellery or great deco ideas for your home - the creative tip finder makes it incredibly easy to find your next FIMO project.

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Step-by-step

Impressive originals – with hidden magic in gold

With 'hidden magic' you can give your creations a distinctive grain-like look, similar to wood. That's why this technique is also known as mokume nendo – which is Japanese for wood grain (mokume) made of clay (nendo). With hidden magic and FIMO effect, you can create unique brooches, earrings, rings and necklaces to name but a few – every single piece an absolute original.

Knead the FIMO and roll each colour out to a sheet using the clay machine on its thickest setting. You will need two sheets of metallic gold.

Stack the sheets of FIMO in the following order to create a rectangular pile: Metallic gold, translucent, glitter gold, metallic gold, light flesh and stardust.

Use the acrylic roller to roll over the stack until the rectangle has approximately doubled in size.

Divide it in the middle and place the two halves on top of each other. Then use the acrylic roller to roll it out again until you're left with a sheet that is only approx. 3-4 mm thick.

Turn the sheet over so that the gold-coloured side is facing upwards.

Press the blunt (!) side of the star-shaped cutter into the FIMO. Do not use the sharp side as you only need an indent and do not want to actually cut the clay!

Next, make a thin (3-4 mm) sausage out of metallic gold FIMO and place it on top of the outline of the star.

Cut to length so that it is an exact fit.

Turn the sheet of FIMO over again and place it back on the work surface. Use your fingers to carefully press around the contours of the star to recreate the shape.

Pay particular attention to the tips of the stars, they should be clearly tapered to a point.

Slice a thin layer off the top of the elevated star holding your sharp, flexible blade parallel to the surface. Make sure you don't cut too deeply. If you don't like the pattern, you can cut off another slice.You won't be able to cut off another slice though if you cut too deeply into the sheet the first time round.

Tip:Unfinished items and left-over bits of material can be stored in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container, e.g. a plastic box or jar.

Cut the star out using the round-shaped cutter. Ensure the cutter is large enough and allows you to leave about a 5 mm gap all around the star.

Then roll over the star with the acrylic roller to make the surface even and smooth. If necessary, use your fingers to carefully bring the star back into shape.

Roll out a thin sheet of stardust and place the star on top.

Cut out again with the round-shaped cutter.

Create a thin sausage of metallic gold and position it around the edge.The golden star is now ready to be hardened in the oven for around 30 minutes at 110°C. Repeat the process to make two smaller stars and circles for the earrings.Once hardened, you can carefully go over the surface with the sanding sponges to make it smoother.

But don’t forget! Don't sand too much or you might spoil the pattern!To finish off, drill a hole in the star and stick an o-ring in. String the large star onto the choker necklace and add the two smaller ones to the creole earrings.

News

3rd FIMO Symposium

FIMO Symposium 2014: Vive le FIMO

The world speaks FIMO! From 11th to 13th September the 3rd STAEDTLER FIMO Symposium brought together participants from 14 different countries at a location close to Paris. This year the internationally renowned FIMO professional artists Carol Blackburn, Seth Savarick, Céline Charuau and Sylvie Peraud passed on tips and tricks all about the oven-hardening modelling clay to the symposium participants.

For a short period this year the picturesque Château Saint Just became the centre of the international polymer clay scene. The 3rd FIMO Symposium attracted FIMO enthusiasts from all around the world intent on exchanging information on new techniques in hands-on workshops during the 3 day event.

Seasonal creativity

Amazing winter ornaments of shimmering ice

verybody’s familiar with Red-Nosed Rudolph. But could you name Santa’s other eight reindeers? Never mind – they won’t be taking offence and will nevertheless be glad to enrich your winter decoration with their magic glamour.

In candlelight, the semi-transparent animals gleam as if covered in frosting, transforming your table into a true winter wonderland with their romantic lustre. FIMO effect gemstone colours are your medium to capture the festive season with artistic means.

Follow your inspiration: With just a handful of materials and a little skill, you will create your personal winter ornaments in no time at all. Hardened in the oven and refined cooled down, your antlered friends will grace the cold season for you and your loved ones in years to come.

As usual, you’ll find this and more ideas with comprehensive step-by-step tutorials in our creative tip finder.

By the way: The other eight reindeers’ names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem.

Trends

Current trends – the look for 2014

When it comes to designing and creating jewellery, accessories or deco items, current trends are often a great source of inspiration. FIMO is incredibly flexible and enables you to integrate your preferred trend colours, shapes and motifs into your work. As far as colour is concerned, 2014 is a bold year: Purple, bright blue, orange and coral are all the rage. Other ones to enjoy great popularity at the moment are effect colours like gold and silver as well as nude and pastel tones. As regards shapes and patterns, the focus is on stripes and dots, though floral designs are in vogue this year too. As to deco items, things have more or less remained the same: Vintage, shabby chic and owl motifs are still very much 'in' in 2014.

You will certainly find the right hue for each season among the extensive FIMO colour assortment. And should a colour be missing from the range, you can mix it yourself – with the help of our FIMO colour blending table.

What is new is the trend theme 'handwriting': A person's handwriting is a warm expression of their personality – not only on greeting cards and invitations. Whether for nice-looking labels on hand-made deco boxes, clay pots in the kitchen or drawers, handwriting gives small accessories or everyday items an elegant and personal touch.

FIMO in action

Why I use FIMO

Infinite creative freedom

There are only few materials which offer as wide a variety for creative expression as FIMO does. For one, working with FIMO is easy to learn – first results are quickly achieved almost in no time.

And you can create almost anything: jewellery or accessories, picture frames or decorations, dolls and figures, flowers and sculptures – everything is possible. The vast range of FIMO colours and the unique texture make it possible to imitate other materials in a remarkably convincing way, for example wood, stone, glass and many others. Incidentally, it teaches you techniques which were originally based on processing entirely different materials.

Tools? You can actually start with hardly any special tools. Beginners in particular can already fabricate the most beautiful creations using only the Starter Kit. And if you later want to create more delicate and more professional pieces, you simply venture to tackle the various tools.

The gemstone colours inspire to try out new technologies and variants, and impress with striking results. Give it a try and design your own bracelet. Our creative tip explains how it’s done step by step.

Tip: FIMO DVD Workshop

The new FIMO DVD provides the perfect introduction to the art of modelling.The 12 exclusive step-by-step videos are divided into three levels of difficulty, offering something for everyone – from beginners to experts.

With tips and tricks, detailed explanations as well as templates and printable shopping lists, the new FIMO DVD is an all-inclusive package.

FIMO - the story of success

STAEDTLER® FIMO® - History

It all begins in 1939.

Käthe Kruse

In her search for a new material to use for her dolls’ heads, the well-known doll maker Kaethe Kruse begins experimenting with a new substance.As the material turns out to be unsuitable for serial production, her daughter Sophie does some experimenting of her own with it, mixing pastes and colours into it and then kneading it into a whole variety of shapes and objects.

She uses the material to create vases, mosaics, pictures, miniatures, figures and toys.

Sophie Rehbinder-Kruse sums up her philosophy as follows: ‘‘Mankind instinctively wants to model things; it is his way of cherishing and preserving something dear to him”. As a result, she goes on to develop her first modelling clay kit in 1954.

FIMOIK

She creates the brand name FIMOIK by using the first two letters of her nickname ‘Fifi’, the ‘Mo’ from modelling clay and the final letters of ‘mosaic’, one of her favourite techniques.

Thanks to the family’s excellent connections to the toy trade, ‘Kaethe Kruses Ofenknete’ (oven-baked clay) is well received by the market.

In 1964, Eberhard Faber acquires all of the rights. In 1978, this company, established in 1922 in Neumarkt, becomes part of STAEDTLER Group.In 1966, equipped with a new concept, improved recipe and better sounding name, ‘FIMO’ is successfully launched onto the market in a range of 15 colours, two different sizes of block and variety of gift sets.

A FIMO handbook jam-packed with suggestions and instructions and a number of different brochures inspire users to try their hand at a whole array of new creative ideas.

The range continues to grow. Over the years, new colours, including some with special glitter, stone and transparent effects are added to it.Craft sets complete with accessories on a selection of creative themes are also introduced.

Today, the range comprises 72 different colours and is rounded off by a wide assortment of accessories such as ‘FIMO liquid’, varnishes, metallic powders, leaf metal, push moulds and metal jewellery bases.

Sophisticated FIMO techniques such as ‘millefiori’, ‘mokume gane’, ‘kaleidoscope’ and ‘Skinner blend’ have developed.Gemstone imitations, silk-screen, patina, ink and impression effects etc. all make FIMO an extremely versatile material: For imaginative modelling by children and more complex applications in the field of art and jewellery design.

Water colour “Canale” – Individual steps

Water colour "Impressions“ - Individual steps

Sketching boats, reflections and light reflexes is actually quite exciting. And takes hardly no time at all: You are welcome to view and download our creative tip "Impressions" (.pdf, 1 MB).

Tips

Tips for watercolour painting

As a rule, when watercolouring, you begin with the subtle, light-coloured shades and gradually work towards the darker ones.

The painting surface itself is part of the composition, shimmering through in some places or, in other places, left in its original white state as a highlight. Watercolour pencils can be used with water to create a very thin or partial wash so that characteristic hatching lines remain visible. Colours are often added to a pre-moistened surface or still damp wash so that they run into each other and merge, thereby creating the textures and blends so characteristic of this kind of painting.

The subtlety and delicacy of this painting technique is emphasised still more when parts of the picture are left incomplete, with some of the content merely hinted at, leaving scope for interpretation.

Only highly absorbent kinds of paper are suitable for painting with water-colour pencils. As paper can ripple when brought into contact with water, paper of at least 250g/m2 should be used. There are many different kinds of real hand-made paper, from papyrus, Japanese paper and wood-free types (particularly white) right up to embossed card e.g. linen structure. The characteristics of the paper chosen will have a strong influence on the final painting, especially in the case of very subtle watercolours.

Mixed techniques:

Watercolour pencils are ideal for all kinds of mixed techniques. For centuries now, pen, ink, pencil and charcoal drawings have been watercoloured and used as sketches for oil painting. The combination of watercolours with soft pastel chalks and oil pastels creates contrasting effects and allows for hatching, superimposed highlights and accents.

Tips for oil pastel painting

Oil pastels are particularly versatile and possess great expressive power. They contain oil and wax as binding agents. As a result, they do not cause dust and they adhere very well even to smooth paper. Their vibrant colours are reminis- cent of oil paints. They have superb coverage characteristics and best effects are achieved when the colours are applied thickly. Any surplus colour should be removed every now and again with a cotton cloth or piece of kitchen towel.

In addition to this, attractive, smooth transitions of colour can be created by smudging. Oil pastels are not really suitable for detailed work. However, the crayons can be sharpened a little (it is recommended to place them in the fridge for a while beforehand).Another alternative is to take the desired colour and apply it to a piece of e.g. card, partially dissolve it using a brush dipped in solvent and then paint any details on using the brush.

Highlights and shadows are emphasise as a last step using black and white crayons.In this example, impressive effects have been created by a clear, linear structure, leaf metal and relief elements in gold.

Painting surface:

Oil pastels are a versatile medium which adhere to a whole variety of surfaces such as paper, cardboard, canvas, wood, stone and even smooth surfaces like glass and plastic.

Storage:

Oil pastel paintings are not particularly sensitive but it is, nevertheless, recommended to protect artwork with a transparent cover sheet or to frame it under glass straight away.

Useful accessories:

The only tools really required are fingers, though for certain techniques the following can be helpful: Turpentine substitute, alcohol or linseed oil, scratching tool, e.g. a small knife, fork or nail file, wet wipes for cleaning hands, a small brush for detail work, cotton buds, an old piece of cloth and kitchen towel for smudging, brush for dissolving, sharpener or knife for sharpening.

Tips for soft pastel chalk painting

The term is derived from the Italian word 'pasta' (= paste). Pastels are made up of pigments, binding agents - e.g. tragacanth gum - and sometimes fillers like chalk and talc which make the pastel chalks smooth and soft.Soft pastel chalks are also ideal for all kinds of mixed techniques.

They can be applied on top of gouache, watercolour, not too thickly applied acrylic and even oil paints and can be used in combination with, e.g., charcoal and ink too. They can also be washed with a moist brush, similar to watercolouring.

Painting surface:

Rough paper is most suitable for use with soft pastel chalks. There are many different special pastel papers available, e.g. Ingres, velour paper, Sansfix, pastel card etc. Pastel chalk looks particularly impressive when used on coloured paper, as the surface can then actually be incorporated in the picture.

Storage and framing:

When the work is completed, it is essential that it is fixed. A sheet of tissue or tracing paper may also be used to protect the finished picture. Even pastel artwork that has been properly fixed remains sensitive and, ideally, should be mounted and framed under glass straight away. Anyone not wishing to have a mount should nevertheless make sure that there is a spacer between the glass and the picture in order to avoid condensation stains.

Useful accessories for soft pastel chalks:

Fixative (available e.g. as a spray), paper stomps or, alternatively, cotton buds, wet wipes for cleaning hands and tools every now and then while working, kneadable eraser for the removal or lightening of colours (STAEDTLER art. no. 5427), rice - dirty soft pastel chalks can be cleaned quickly by placing them in a plastic tub with grains of rice -, a cover for the floor underneath the workplace as soft pastel chalks always create dust, protective clothing for the same reason.

Basic techniques

Watercolour pencils - Dry techniques

Hatching: Draw a series thin lines closely together: For special light and shadow effects.

Overlaying: Blend by overlaying individual colours.

Watercolour pencils - Wet techniques

Watercolouring/glazing: Wash colours with a brush - the more the colour is diluted, the lighter it be- comes and the surface shows through.

Dry-on-wet: Use dry lead on moist paper - strokes remain visible but become richer and slightly creamy.

Watercolour pencils -Special techniques

Scraping or shaving technique: Use a knife to carefully remove the wood casing and then rub the exposed coloured lead against coarse-grained sandpaper. When scattered over a very wet wash, the particles create attractive effects and structures.

Smudging and blotting: Create gentle pastel shades and overlays of colour by smudging or blotting with a dry or moist cloth.

Sgraffito effect: Add structures to thick, wet paint by smearing with a cotton bud or cloth.

Oil pastels - Dissolving

Oil pastels can either be partially dissolved and painted with directly on the painting surface itself using turpentine substitute or oil or can be prepared on a palette first. This technique enables the painting of fine details with a brush.

Tip: When working with turpentine substitute you should air the room regularly even if there is not a noticeable odour.

Oil pastels - Hatching technique

Hatching can have different effects depending on whether the lines are made in one direction or in a criss-cross pattern. This technique adds rhythm to a picture.

Oil pastels - Sgraffito technique

This is the painting term for all techniques involving a picture or parts of a picture being scratched. The motif is created by scraping off the top layer of two overlaid colours.

Oil pastels - Overlaying

Blended tones are achieved by overlaying different colours.

Soft pastels - Smudging technique

Draw a motif and then smudge using your hand, a paper stomp or cloth.

Soft pastels - Overlaying

Blend by overlaying individual colours from light to dark.

Soft pastels - Highlighting

Remove an already applied colour using e.g. a cotton bud or kneadable eraser.

Then, after fixing, add a new layer of highlights and fix again.

Soft pastels - Bar technique

Use the broad side of the chalk to cover a large area.

Arts & design products

karat® watercolour pencils

For wet and dry techniques

Ideal for both beginners and professionals

For sketches and studies on-the-go or more detailed work back home

Watercolour painting is today one of the most popular painting techniques. The karat watercolour pencils can be used for a variety of techniques and mixed techniques for a perfect synthesis of shape and colour - whether as subtle transparent effects, chance transitions of shade or deliberately set accents. This is where the main attraction of watercolouring lies.

karat® oil pastels

For the coverage of large areas in exceptional colour intensity

Adhere to all smooth surfaces

Extremely vibrant colours

Waterproof

With oil pastels, it is a different matter altogether: Their smooth performance, rich colour-intensive results and exceptional vibrancy make karat oil pastels a medium suitable for a whole variety of applications. Characteristics which are both liked and valued by young children, teenagers and adults alike. For kindergarten or school, hobby or professional use.

karat® soft pastel chalks

For exact details and delicate shading

Ideal for working on matt surfaces

Excellent blending qualities

The karat soft pastel chalks are extremely impressive thanks to their superb colour brilliancy and easy handling. Their excellent blending qualities make it no trouble at all to create subtle transitions of shade or to produce bold outlines sharply contrasting to gently hued areas. Soft pastel chalks look particular effective when used on coloured paper. The use of a fixative spray is important in order to ensure a long-term protection of artwork.

FAQ & tips on using FIMO

Handling

Opened FIMO

Work in progress and leftovers can be kept in a sealed plastic bag or an airtight container such as a plastic container or a glass.

How does FIMO work?

The oven-hardening modelling clay FIMO is a PVC-based compound.In comparison to “normal” modelling material, FIMO is much stronger – this structure allows the modelling of small and delicate objects, for example.

The FIMO compound is made of plastic powder, plasticisers and additives.While baking in the oven, the plasticiser makes the plastic powder gel; once cooled off, it forms a solid matter.

Can I bake already hardened parts several times?

FIMO can be baked several times, for example to plug up cracks or replace broken parts with FIMO.FIMO is best hardened in the oven for 30 minutes at a ideal temperature of 110° C.

Pieces hardened at 130° C will look pretty much the same, except for the fact that they are a little more flexible.However, this maximum temperature of 130° C and hardening time of 30 minutes should not be exceeded!

Does FIMO have a use-by date?

FIMO does not have a date of expiry. FIMO should, however, be stored dry and cool. Unhardened FIMO is best kept in aluminium foil, in a metal or plastic box (made of PP or PE!), to protect it from dust and contamination.

FIMO will thus last at least two years. However, we don’t know how long and under what circumstances the FIMO had been stored in the shop before you purchased it.

In order to make older or hardened FIMA soft again, we recommend using FIMO Mix Quick, article no. 8026. The kneading aid for mixing makes softening firmer FIMO quick and easy. This, however, will work only if the compound hasn’t thoroughly hardened yet.

Is FIMO suitable for outdoor use?

Once completely hardened, the oven-hardening compound is weatherproof but should not be varnished!

It is important that the hardened model has no cracks through which rain could penetrate. Otherwise the model could burst in freezing temperatures.

The colours might fade a little over time when exposed to intense sunlight; a protection of some kind is therefore recommended, a canopy for example.

What is the ideal temperature for hardening FIMO?

The gelling process (PVC in plasticiser) cannot be completed at temperatures of less than 110° C. FIMO will harden, but is still brittle inside and therefore fragile. If you harden FIMO at temperatures above 110° C, it will become more flexible.

However, you then accept that the colours become more brownish and are possibly about to burn. We do not recommend doing this!

Ingredients

Does FIMO contain softening agents such as phthalates?

Phthalate-based plasticisers have fallen into disrepute. These are suspected of being carcinogenic or mutagenic.

For reasons of preventive consumer protection, STAEDTLER has stopped using plasticiser containing phthalate in FIMO already in 2006.

Is FIMO non-hazardous / non-toxic?

Our oven-hardening modelling clay FIMO does not contain any harmful, allergenic or poisonous substances. FIMO meets the requirements of the EU Directive on the Safety of Toys (EN71, Part 5).

We commissioned the ‘Forschungsinstitut für Leder und Kunststoffbahnen gGmbH’ (Research Institute of Leather and Plastic Sheeting) to examine emissions at 130° C and 150° C – in other words, at temperatures higher than stated by our instructions (110° C). At both 130° C and 150° C, neither carcinogenic or mutagenic substances were detected, nor any with reproductively toxic properties. Nevertheless, a maximum temperature 130° C should not be exceeded. We recommend using an oven thermometer.

In unfavourable conditions, hydrochloric acid fumes can develop at temperatures above 150°C. However, these have a very strong warning effect (burning sensation in the eyes and stinging in the nasal mucosa) before they cause any toxic reactions. In any case, thoroughly ventilate the room, bring any person outdoors and consult a physician if taken ill (this is a “standard” procedure for any kind of danger and therefore does not apply only to FIMO).

Is FIMO food safe?

Our oven-hardening modelling clay FIMO does not contain any harmful, allergenic or poisonous substances. FIMO meets the requirements of the EU Directive on the Safety of Toys (EN71, Part 5).

Moreover, hardened FIMO is resistant to sweat and saliva in accordance with DIN 53160 (LGA Test 5561011) You should avoid direct contact between FIMO and mouth or food though – FIMO is not food safe.

Ensuring this would require special testing and approvals, which have not been carried out for FIMO. This also applies to animals; we therefore do not recommend using FIMO in aquariums, terrariums or for making animal feeding bowls.

Incidentally, FIMO does not contain any animal components and is gluten-free.

What does “natural-based substances” mean?

Is FIMO not longer made of PVC?The notice “with natural-based substances” has been printed on the packs of our over-hardening modelling clay since July 2011.

This notice is not the result of a modified formulation.

We rather want to point out that we use raw materials in the production of FIMO which are based on natural fats and oils.

Accessories

What glue is best used for FIMO?

We recommend “Pattex Multi Alleskleber” (all-purpose glue) by Henkel to glue on FIMO parts which have broken off. We have tested this glue and it too can be hardened in the oven. The glue dries to a transparent state and does not discolour, not even under the influence of heat.

We recommend using the model-making glue by Pattex for the FIMO snow globes (for glueing the cover to the lower part).

Tips

Can I wash buttons made of FIMO?

FIMO buttons should not be machine-washed or dry-cleaned because the colours can fade over the course of time depending on the detergent and chemical cleaning agents, respectively.

In general, the buttons should not be varnished because our varnish is water-based. We recommend washing the garment along with the FIMO buttons by hand (30° C) and preferably using a soft detergent.